JOHN

Today is Friday.  I have today off and I'm looking forward to going to the gym and then running some errands.  I may even be able to get a Christmas tree for our house.  I hope so.  I'm reading in John and there are a few comments I would like to make about a few verses and the thoughts I have about them:

1) THE HARDEST GROUP TO WIN OVER- In John 7:5 is says:  "For neither did his brethren believe in him."  Jesus was the Son of God, and yet his own brothers did not believe in him.  Jesus said also in:  Mark 6:4  "But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."  Notice this verse: Matthew 13:55 "Is not this the carpenter's son?  is not his mother called Mary?  and his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"  Jesus had four brothers and the next verse says:  Mat 13:56  "And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?"  Jesus had several sisters as well.  Yet, "neither did his brethren believe in him."  The hardest group to win over is always your family and those closest to you.  And yet... Jesus did win them over!  One of his brothers wrote the book of James and was a leader in the Church.  The pastor of the Church in Jerusalem!  Then one of his brothers wrote the book of Jude warning about false doctrine.  He did win them over!  And with God's help and patience, you can too!

2) DISCIPLES INDEED- In John 8:31, Jesus says:  "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples in deed."  To be a disciple indeed means that you are doing what a disciple does!  What then does a disciple do?  He continues in Christ's word, the Bible.  We are not disciples because of what we know, but we are disciples by what we do.  If we continue to read the Word of God and to apply it's great truths to our lives, then we are living like a disciple and are therefore "disciples indeed".  It does not mean that if we don't we are not disciples, but that we certainly are not living like a disciple should live.  Let us love in word, but let us love "indeed". 

3) SERVICE=HONOUR  John 12:26 says:  "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, thee shall also my servant be:  if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."  When we serve Christ, we are honored by God the Father.  Wow!  This makes our little show of service mean so much more.  We become blessed of God by doing our best to serve the Savior.  Let us remember that and keep on serving!

May God's blessings be upon you this day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler